Champagne Wine Made By Top Pinot Noir And Chardonnay Vineyards For 150th Anniversary

The large bang followed by a geyser of flying liquid, carrying with it the much more dangerous shards of glass, startled the visitors to such a point that some were shaking. But that didn’t keep people from coming back and bringing family and friends as it was the most exciting journey that took them over 100 feet below the surface as they descended the 116 steps to a heavenly cavernous world filled with epic tableaux sculpted into the chalk walls. Such an experience could only be created by a massive corporation with immense resources. Still, no, this remarkable experience, one of the most thrilling for the times, was made possible by one woman, a widow in the late 1800s in the sparkling wine region of Champagne.

In 1868, Madame Pommery started the expansive construction project of the century in Reims, within the now legendary Champagne wine growing area in France. It would not only go deep within the thick layers of earth made up mainly of chalk but it would span over 11 miles in length. As a great admirer of art, she would commission an artist to carve out legendary scenes that seemed to come alive within the chalk wall as people held up candles around these sculpted illustrations as visitors came through the tunnels underneath Champagne Pommery estate. Yet, during those times, how to create the shape of a Champagne bottle with thicker glass was not yet invented, so the pressure of the bubbles would make some bottles randomly explode. So, Madame Pommery devised the clever idea of giving visitors fencing masks to protect themselves from such incidences.

And then she outdid herself, in 1874, by releasing an iconic bottle of Pommery Brut Champagne, as up until that time, most sparkling Champagne wines had a significant amount of sugar added as a preservative and Champagne was thought of as a dessert wine; Madame Pommery established the seemingly dry style of Brut Champagne which is now enjoyed before or during a meal, or simply on its own.

And to celebrate such a momentous occasion, the Vranken family, who owns Champagne Pommery today, led by another impressive woman, Nathalie, with her daughter Pauline by her side, is releasing a special cuvée called Apanage 1874.

Apanage 1874

Six years ago, the cellar master of Champagne Pommery, Clément Pierlot, was given the task and great honor by Nathalie Vranken to make a special bottling of Champagne that would honor the incredible achievements of Madame Pommery. The cellar master made a cuvée that mainly consisted of great vintages from 2018, 2015 and 2012, as well as an additional 18% of much older wines held in reserve in the Pommery cellars to add depth and complexity. Used in the blend are mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from top vineyards such as those from Premier or Grand Cru sites or rare properties that include a portion of wine from the walled vineyard Les Clos Pompadour, located on Pommery’s estate, which is among the great walled vineyards of the Champagne wine region representing some of the most sought after bottles in the world. Clément says that the Apanage 1874 is in keeping with the great traditions of the House as it combines the “delicacy and precision of a modern creation with the depth and complexity of the Pommery heritage.”

Madame Pommery has always been a great patron of the arts and her artists’ commissions made the Pommery cellars look like an exquisite art gallery. The current family owner, Nathalie Vranken, has that same intense passion for art and she has been organizing annual exhibitions for the past 20 years with contemporary art called EXPERIENCE POMMERY. She showcases artists from all over the globe, more than 300 artists have been showcased, within Pommery’s Gallo-Roman cellars and the Pommery estate has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.

Art has always been a driving force in Nathalie’s life and everything about Pommery, the innovation to excel with making sparkling Champagne wine, the gorgeous Pommery Victorian-style estate with Gallo-Roman cellars and the dedication to art for over a century, represents everything she loves about her favorite artists: innovation, excellence, commitment, beauty and soul. Yet recently, other famous Champagne houses have also taken on art projects and Nathalie thought that perhaps it was time to stop her art exhibition at Pommery as it seemed the combination of art and Champagne was everywhere now. For a brief moment, she questioned herself, saying, “Is this it? Am I done?” then, the minute she said it, that passion reignited within her and she fiercely stated, “No, I want to do it forever.”

And so, she called her latest exhibition “Forever,” bringing in many of the past creative works of art that have thrilled guests over the years. At the center of the exhibition is a gigantic sculpture in the shape of a pink heart that represents a heart that beats forever. The heart started with Madame Pommery and today it continues with Nathalie, 150 years of devotion that would transport Champagne lovers to a world of radiance and magic.

Champagne Pommery ‘Apanage 1874’ Brut NV: Mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from top Grand Cru and Premier Cru sites as well as from Pommery’s unique Les Clos Pompadour with a small percentage of Pinot Meunier. A true multi-vintage Champagne with the best vintages over the past 15 years making up the majority of the blend: 2018, 2015 and 2012. Another 18% of older reserve wines add a multifaceted complexity to make this bottling worthy of the incredible milestone it is celebrating. An enchanting nose of freshly baked brioche with hints of hazelnut and white flowers that has such fine bubbles that it creates a creamy texture on the palate with bright lemon curd flavors with peach crumble richness balanced by crisp acidity with a long, expressive mineral-laced finish.